jenn_sveda's review against another edition
4.0
The Great Childhood Favorites Reread continues! I remember this one being a favorite as a child, but this time I feel like it isn't as strong as the earlier books in this series. The "mystery" is solved almost entirely by luck and coincidence - aside from pulling the blueprints from the real estate agents' car at the Murdoch house, Sammy does very little sleuthing and assembles very few clues. If it weren't for Penny falling into the hidden lab, I don't think Sammy and her friends would have ever solved this one! It's only once Sammy finds the lab (again, by accident) that she is able to put the rest of the pieces together, leading to a quick explanation of the case without the usual process of finding clues, investigating suspects, etc. I wish the mystery had been better developed, because solving the mystery along with Sammy is one of the most appealing parts of these books. However, I love the introduction to Casey (probably why I remember this one as a favorite!) and I think the handling of serious topics like underage drinking, smoking, and drugs is done very well for a middle grade audience.
literallykristen's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I can't believe that some of these things were in this book. Glad I take an interest in what my kid reads so I can have conversations with her about things she definitely didn't understand. She thought pot was just a pot you put things in lol
skwiecien's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
adeperi's review against another edition
5.0
Sammy Keyes is my fictional role model. She's the reason I wear high tops. :)
vsurocav's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sam_is_reading's review against another edition
5.0
I have been a fan of this series since the beginning, since I was a plucky girl of 12 & 13. So why am I including this one specifically on my favorites shelf? Because it holds such a special place in my heart.
This is not the first mystery that had life-altering situations in it (just before this book, they find Holly sleeping in a park because she's homeless), though it is the first one where they go out of town and stumble on it. It IS the introduction of Casey, who is the ultimate dream boy/partner (and childhood, teen, and even adult Sam has aspired to find) in arguably all YA (and I WILL in fact fight about this).
I think this one is so special to me because it was the first time I remember waiting for a new book to be available at the library to read it. It was new, I had to request it and be put on a list, and then I got it.
I have bought the entire series and given them as a gift to my niece & fellow Sam who also enjoys them. Sammy Keyes is <3.
This is not the first mystery that had life-altering situations in it (just before this book, they find Holly sleeping in a park because she's homeless), though it is the first one where they go out of town and stumble on it. It IS the introduction of Casey, who is the ultimate dream boy/partner (and childhood, teen, and even adult Sam has aspired to find) in arguably all YA (and I WILL in fact fight about this).
I think this one is so special to me because it was the first time I remember waiting for a new book to be available at the library to read it. It was new, I had to request it and be put on a list, and then I got it.
I have bought the entire series and given them as a gift to my niece & fellow Sam who also enjoys them. Sammy Keyes is <3.
baileewalsh's review against another edition
5.0
I picked this book up because I've been in the mood to read a mystery but nothing too heavy or complicated or something that would engross me for hours on end. So, going with a light mystery that wouldn't take me long to read, I decided I should continue with the Sammy Keyes books I have that I haven't read, yet. Mystery books have always been a main interest and growing up I loved Nancy Drew and Sammy Keyes. Fortunately they are books that even adults would enjoy!
At first I had, not like a HARD time getting into it, but it's been years since I read Sammy Keyes and I sort of forgot who people were specifically. I obviously figured out things like Marissa, Dot, and Holly are Sammy's friends but I couldn't remember much else about them. I couldn't remember who Brandon was and I thought we already knew Casey- there's a reason I remember Casey in the books and that is because I read the first four books and the 10th book growing up. I did a project on it in upper elementary school, otherwise I would not have read any part of the series out of order. So, as I read I was reminded of things that happened in the previous books and things that are part of the overall story or repeated throughout. But when Sammy was thinking about Brandon I was like, "Who's Brandon?" It bothered me too much so I looked it up and read the character information for most of the characters on the Sammy Keyes Wikipedia page. I refreshed my memory that Brandon is Marissa's brother who Sammy sort of has a thing for, that Dot became a part of the series in the second book and that Holly became a part of the series in the fourth; and, of course, that Casey is introduced in this book and continues to be part of the series. I can't believe I can remember things from the first Sammy Keyes book I read, which was the 10th book, but I can't remember books 2-4 very well.
Anyway, despite me just going along with things in the beginning because it had been too long since last reading the series, this book is great! I was able to read a chapter or two every day just to keep up the reading habit. It was still intriguing. I don't think of it as a lesser mystery because it is technically a middle grade series. But THIS BOOK got intense, and scary, and went in directions I didn't think the series would go. When I would update my progress on the Goodreads app I saw other people's reviews for it and a lot of people were saying that it has more mature/adult content and this is a book in the series that maybe kids should skip. At first I just thought those reviews were taking about a party that takes place because there are older high school kids and beer and probably other alcoholic beverages at this underage party. BUT THEN METH became part of the story and I was like, "Whoa! WHAT?!" I just was NOT expecting that! I know the last time I read one of these books I was in 13 or 14 but I did not think the series would go into serious drug territory. And I don't mind that at all, and had I read it when I was 13 or 14 (after I read the 4th book) it would have been fine, too, it's just that I did not expect it. I honestly think it's that aspect that makes this a 5 star read instead of 4 stars.
With my rating, and all other ratings, I try to rate books with thinking of the sole book and taking into consideration the audience/age range. So, this is a 5 star book to me, a 5 star middle grade mystery series book. The language is easy, not simple necessarily, but not complex. The characters are interesting and there's a lot of characters in this one! There's character development that I really appreciated and I'm looking forward to where that goes in the rest of the books- I'm mostly thinking of Sammy individually, Sammy + Officer Borsch, and Sammy + Casey. It's definitely engrossing but in a different way than I consider most adult books to be.
The Sammy Keyes series is a series I would recommend to young readers who are looking for mysteries to read. You can't help but like and become attached to the characters and the mystery they tangle themselves into- by "they" and "themselves" I mostly mean Sammy, but her friends are always willing to do things with her and stay by her side even at times when they are creeped out or scared.
I'm actually thinking of rereading the first four books to refresh my memory. It's not really the right time, because of other things going on in my life, but I'm really considering it. It would definitely be better than reading summaries online. But if I'm really going to do it I have to do it soon before details of this book start fading.
At first I had, not like a HARD time getting into it, but it's been years since I read Sammy Keyes and I sort of forgot who people were specifically. I obviously figured out things like Marissa, Dot, and Holly are Sammy's friends but I couldn't remember much else about them. I couldn't remember who Brandon was and I thought we already knew Casey- there's a reason I remember Casey in the books and that is because I read the first four books and the 10th book growing up. I did a project on it in upper elementary school, otherwise I would not have read any part of the series out of order. So, as I read I was reminded of things that happened in the previous books and things that are part of the overall story or repeated throughout. But when Sammy was thinking about Brandon I was like, "Who's Brandon?" It bothered me too much so I looked it up and read the character information for most of the characters on the Sammy Keyes Wikipedia page. I refreshed my memory that Brandon is Marissa's brother who Sammy sort of has a thing for, that Dot became a part of the series in the second book and that Holly became a part of the series in the fourth; and, of course, that Casey is introduced in this book and continues to be part of the series. I can't believe I can remember things from the first Sammy Keyes book I read, which was the 10th book, but I can't remember books 2-4 very well.
Anyway, despite me just going along with things in the beginning because it had been too long since last reading the series, this book is great! I was able to read a chapter or two every day just to keep up the reading habit. It was still intriguing. I don't think of it as a lesser mystery because it is technically a middle grade series. But THIS BOOK got intense, and scary, and went in directions I didn't think the series would go. When I would update my progress on the Goodreads app I saw other people's reviews for it and a lot of people were saying that it has more mature/adult content and this is a book in the series that maybe kids should skip. At first I just thought those reviews were taking about a party that takes place because there are older high school kids and beer and probably other alcoholic beverages at this underage party. BUT THEN METH became part of the story and I was like, "Whoa! WHAT?!" I just was NOT expecting that! I know the last time I read one of these books I was in 13 or 14 but I did not think the series would go into serious drug territory. And I don't mind that at all, and had I read it when I was 13 or 14 (after I read the 4th book) it would have been fine, too, it's just that I did not expect it. I honestly think it's that aspect that makes this a 5 star read instead of 4 stars.
With my rating, and all other ratings, I try to rate books with thinking of the sole book and taking into consideration the audience/age range. So, this is a 5 star book to me, a 5 star middle grade mystery series book. The language is easy, not simple necessarily, but not complex. The characters are interesting and there's a lot of characters in this one! There's character development that I really appreciated and I'm looking forward to where that goes in the rest of the books- I'm mostly thinking of Sammy individually, Sammy + Officer Borsch, and Sammy + Casey. It's definitely engrossing but in a different way than I consider most adult books to be.
The Sammy Keyes series is a series I would recommend to young readers who are looking for mysteries to read. You can't help but like and become attached to the characters and the mystery they tangle themselves into- by "they" and "themselves" I mostly mean Sammy, but her friends are always willing to do things with her and stay by her side even at times when they are creeped out or scared.
I'm actually thinking of rereading the first four books to refresh my memory. It's not really the right time, because of other things going on in my life, but I'm really considering it. It would definitely be better than reading summaries online. But if I'm really going to do it I have to do it soon before details of this book start fading.
mugsandpugs's review against another edition
2.0
Okay, this one felt a little silly/after school special-y. Careful, children, or you might fall into the meth cave, complete with helpfully labelled recipes for meth.
walter_the_wombat's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75